Tesla's Valet Mode: How to turn it on and everything it does

In 2020, at a resort in San Antonio, a Model S owner had their car damaged by a valet who wanted to test out Cheetah mode. The joyride did not end well for this valet who crashed the car into a concrete wall, which was captured on the car’s dash cam.

Many luxury carmakers have invented ways to prevent a valet from damaging the car or accessing personal data. Some carmakers introduced valet keys that could limit top speed, reduce acceleration and lock the glove box. Although these features improved the safety and privacy of the car, the physical keys were impractical because they could be stolen or lost. Valet keys have been outdated since Chevrolet introduced virtual Valet Mode in 2014.

Tesla also implemented a Valet Mode of its own that improves upon the safety and privacy features of the valet key. Tesla's Valet Mode is a feature that prevents valets from driving recklessly and having access to the owner's personal information. Tesla introduced the feature in 2015 as part of an over-the-air software update.

Tesla's Valet Mode

MonsterGadgets/YouTube

Everything Valet Mode Does

When Valet Mode is activated, Tesla’s operating system restricts some of the car's functionality. Valet Mode will limit the car's maximum speed to 70 mph, reduce acceleration by about 50 percent and disable the use of autopilot.

In addition to these safety features, the security and privacy features include the automatic locking of the glove box and frunk. Valet Mode also keeps the user's information private by blocking certain personal information from appearing on the display screen. This keeps information such as addresses, contacts and schedules completely private. Valet Mode also disables Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and navigation functionality.

Valet Mode Restrictions

Valet Mode restrictions the following features:

• Speed limited to 70 mph
• Acceleration restricted to “Chill”
• The front trunk and glove box will lock, the trunk will remain accessible
• Voice commands are disabled
• Navigation is disabled so that it does not allow access to recent destinations, favorites or home and work addresses
• Autopilot/FSD is disabled
• Allow Mobile Access setting cannot be changed
• HomeLink (if applicable) is not available
• Driver profiles are not available
• The touchscreen will not display the list of keys that can access the car
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are disabled, and you cannot view or add a new device
• Sentry Mode options can’t be changed (if Sentry Mode is on, it can’t be turned off)
• Smart summon is disabled
• Calendar is not available
• The Upgrades section in Controls > Upgrades is disabled

There are a few other features that are inaccessible while Valet Mode is enabled. The most obvious of which is Ludicrous Mode, which allows the driver to access the full acceleration power of the Tesla.

This mode is only available for some performance models. Smart Summon is also inaccessible while in Valet Mode. However, if your Tesla is parked in Valet Mode, you can disable Valet Mode from the mobile app, and proceed to Smart Summon your car.

Charging

Although Tesla limits many features while the vehicle is in Valet Mode to protect your privacy and your vehicle, it does not limit the ability to charge.

This can be useful when you visit a valet location with chargers on site. The valet can plug your Tesla in to charge while it is parked.

Speed Limit

Although the speed limit for Valet Mode defaults to 70 mph, you can customize it to your preference using "Speed Limit Mode". The speed limit can be set in safety settings by turning on the Speed Limit Mode and creating a 4-digit PIN.

By turning on Speed Limit Mode, you can set a custom maximum speed that cannot be changed without your PIN. You can set the maximum speed in the car or in the Security section of the Tesla app.

How to Turn On Valet Mode

Valet Mode can be activated from within the vehicle and through the mobile app. To activate it from within the car, tap your profile name on the display screen. A drop-down menu will appear, select the last tab labeled “Valet Mode.” you will be prompted to enter a four-digit PIN the first time you enable Valet Mode. Once the PIN is entered, the screen will display that Valet Mode has been enabled. You can also use the mobile app to turn Valet Mode on and off, assuming the vehicle is parked, by clicking ”Security” and then “Valet Mode”.

PIN to Drive

If you use PIN to Drive, an additional security feature that requires you to enter a valid PIN code to start the car, this feature is disabled while the car is in Valet Mode. Once you start Valet Mode, you’ll be prompted to enter your PIN to Drive code. This code will be saved and will not require the valet driver to enter a PIN to start the car.

Teen Drivers

Valet Mode can also come in handy when letting a teen drive to prevent them from speeding or using functionality that could be dangerous for a new driver, such as using the car’s full acceleration or using Autopilot. None of the Tesla’s safety features are disabled while in Valet Mode.

If you prefer, you can just enable Speed Limit Mode so that they can still access navigation, music, and other features.

Teslas are fun cars to drive and some people may be tempted to test the car’s instant torque, fast acceleration and amazing Autopilot capabilities, but these features should be used with permission.

Since Teslas are capable of high speed and fast acceleration, Valet Mode is an advisable feature to use. The higher performance of a car, the greater the risk of an accident when left in the hands of a valet driver.

Tesla owners can have peace of mind knowing that Valet Mode can prevent speeding and reckless driving and protect their privacy when someone else is behind the wheel.

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Tesla Starts Rolling Out HW3 Support for FSD to Chinese Employees

Tesla Newswire

Tesla is getting ready to start rolling out FSD support for hardware 3 vehicles in China. Tesla is internally testing what appears to be a build of FSD V12.6 on HW3 vehicles with its employees.

A post on Chinese social media platform Rednote initially shared the software update details and was then shared by Tesla Newswire. We’ve verified that the vehicle in question is a 2023 Model Y, confirming it falls within the HW3 hardware generation.

Tesla initially introduced FSD for HW4/AI4 vehicles in China in late February, making this a surprisingly fast follow-up to extend support to HW3 vehicles. The Chinese rollout of FSD also came just a couple weeks after Tesla introduced FSD in Mexico.

FSD V12.6 Primer

We reviewed FSD V12.6 in depth here, and provided a comparison to FSD V13 here, but here’s the key points you’ll need to know.

FSD V12.6 is Tesla’s latest revision of FSD for HW3 vehicles and it’s is very comparable to FSD V13 in terms of features. It includes 3 speed profiles, Chill, Standard, and Hurry, which control how aggressive FSD is in making lane changes and ensuring it stays at, near, or above the speed limit.

This version of FSD also comes with an improved controller, as well as earlier and more natural lane change decisions, making it far more capable than V12.5 or V12.3 builds.

For Chinese customers getting their first taste of FSD after using Autopilot for years, it’s mindblowing. It can handle city level streets, hanlde turns and traffic control signs and get you to your destination with minimal interventions.

When Does It Release?

Given’s China’s more crowded streets and more complex road layouts, we weren’t sure whether Tesla would introduce support for HW3 vehicles in the market. This news is a positive and encouraging sign, not only for FSD in China, but for all HW3 vehicle owners out there.

Tesla usually releases updates to employees in advance of releasing them to its general customers - providing them with a second chance to find and fix bugs. Usually, once updates make their way to employee vehicles, and barring any major issues, they begin rolling out to customers within one to two weeks.

China currently requires owners to buy FSD, as FSD subscriptions aren’t available in the country yet. If you’re in China and bought FSD on a HW3 vehicle, it may not be long before you have access to FSD.

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A Look at the Tesla Cybertruck’s Crumple Zones [VIDEO]

Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s Cybertruck has officially earned a 5-Star Safety Rating from the NHTSA—an impressive achievement given the vehicle’s design. The achievement demonstrates Tesla’s engineering prowess. As one engineer points out, it wasn’t an easy feat.

Interestingly, the NHTSA only recently disclosed the results, despite the crash tests being completed a while ago. According to Lars Moravy, Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, the team had been aware of the 5-star rating for quite some time. While the reason for the delay remains unclear, now that the results are public, Tesla’s engineers can finally share how they achieved the rating.

Crumple Zones

Wes Morril, the Cybertruck’s Lead Engineer, wrote about the crash test video on X recently, addressing the claims that the Cybertruck doesn’t have a crumple zone. He also posted a side-by-side video (below) of the engineering analysis and the crash test itself.

Engineered Crash Safety

There’s a lot of engineering precision at play when a Cybertruck is involved in a crash. Unlike traditional crash structures that rely on crash cans and collapse points, the Cybertruck’s front gigacasting is designed to absorb and redirect impact forces in a highly controlled manner.

It all starts with the bumper beam, which crushes within the first few milliseconds of a high-speed impact. At the same time, the vehicle’s sensors rapidly analyze the crash dynamics and determine the optimal deployment of safety restraints, including airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners. These split-second actions are crucial in keeping occupants safe.

As the crash progresses, the vehicle’s structure deforms in a carefully engineered sequence. The drive unit cradle bends, directing the solid drive unit downward and out of the way, allowing the gigacasting to begin absorbing impact forces.

The casting crushes cell by cell, methodically dissipating energy in a controlled manner. This gradual deceleration reduces the g-forces transferred to occupants, making the crash much less severe. As the gigacast begins crushing, the safety restraints are deployed.

As Wes points out in his post - you can see how accurate the virtual analysis and modeling were. The video shows the simulated crash side by side with the real-life crash test and they’re almost identical. All that virtual testing helps provide feedback into the loop to design a better and safer system - one that is uniquely different than any other vehicle on the road.

All the armchair experts claimed the Cybertruck has no crumple zone and I get it, the proportions seem impossible. It was a tough one and there is a lot of engineering that went into it. Let me break it down for you:

Here you can see the large single piece casting in action in a… https://t.co/Jk4X5erTcm pic.twitter.com/24Nmb1bmU5

— Wes (@wmorrill3) February 20, 2025

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